Vehicle jack



June 4, 1929. J, H BURKHOLDER 1,715,897

VEHICLE JACK Filed Aug. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-$heet l Gummi! June 4, 1929- J. H. BURKHOLDER i VEHICLE JACK Filed Aug. 14, "1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amm Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. BURKHOLTDER, OF ASHLAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB., BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'lOv ELITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE JACK.

Application filed. August 14, 1926.

This invention relates to vehicle jacks, and is an improvement in that type of screw 'jack in which a rotatable nut is employed to raise and lower a lift screw or similar member. In general my object is to provide a simple aggroupment of jack parts which may be readily assembled and separated, including an operating device for the nut adapted to be' instantly shifted in different directions radially of the left screw and its supporting standard. As constructed the jack may be operated from many different positions of the compass wherever the operator may elect to stand or may be compelled to take a working position in respect to the object being lifted either before or after the jack is engaged with the load and when the standard is seated. As shown the jack embodies a single lift screw carrying a supplemental lift member, and while the invention is of special utility in this specific connection it is not necessarily limited thereto but may be utilized with advantage in other jack structures using one or more lift screws.

ln-the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a screw jack embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top view of the jack the full and dotted lines and the arrows representing several different positions of the swiveled operating head. Fig. B is a horizontal section of the standard and movable parts thereon on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section centrally of the jack. Fig. 5 is a side view of the lift members and the operating parts lifted bodily out of the standard, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the standard alone.

The jack comprises a hollow cylindrical standard 2 having a flat spreading base 3 adapted to support the standard and the working parts therein in a stable upright position beneath the load to be elevated. A flanged rib et extends vertically at the rear or one side of standard 2 above an opening in base 3. The upper portion of standard 2 is enlarged to provide a chamber 6 in which a hollow cylindrical hub 7 may be rotatably confined and supported by a yokeshaped member or head 8 having a laterally-extending boss 9. This rotatable member or head 8 has an annular flat bottom part 10 adapted to rest in a freely rotatable position upon the flat top of the annular bead Serial No. 129,256*- or enlargement 11 of standard 2, and the hub or depending extension 7 of this head may be reduced in diameter between its ends to minimize the friction by limiting the area of contact between the huby and standard and to'provide an annular'stop shoulder 12 at its lower end adapted to extend beneath the inner end of a thumb screw 14 which is secured in a lateral boss 15 in the front side of the'standard. Thumb screw 14 may thus be used to prevent the swivel head from being removed from the standard while permitting the head to be rotated, although said thumb screw may also be used tov clamp the hub rigidly within said standard to prevent rotation of the head if desired.

A lift screw 16 passes downwardly through the hollow hub or tubular extension 7 and is loosely suspended within hollow standard 2 from a screw-threaded nut 17 and bevel gear 17 which is confined between the bottom part 10 and overhanging arm 18 of the swiveled member or rotatable head 8. Nut 17 is in turn supported upon the bottom part 10 of head 8 by ball bearing rings 19 and anti-friction balls 20, and the object to be lifted is engaged either by a curved rest or saddle 21 at the top of lift screw 16 or by a lateral projection or step 22 at the rear of a vertical arm 23 which extends downwardly from saddle 21 parallel with rib t and slidably connected to the flanged portion of the rib by hook-shaped fingers 24 integ al with the lower end of the said arm. A Acotter pin 25 or other device may be secured within a perforated lug 26 at the top of rib 4 to prevent the screw and its arm from being detached from the standard eX- cept when the said cotter pin or device is first removed. The slidable arm and standard connection for screw 16 permits the screw to move vertically in either direction and it prevents rotation of the screw which may be pinned or otherwise fastened at 27 to saddle 21. Thus, in operating the jack to raise or lower a load the standard is immovably stationed upon a solid foundation and only nut 17 and gear 17 require rotation. The means for rotating the nut may comprise a bevel pinion 28 at the inner end of a short shaft 29 having rotatable bearing in lateral boss 9. As shown the outer end of shaft 29 is formed with an angular opening 30 adapted to receive an operating hanlll dle or crank shaft 3d, of any desired length, wherewith to transmitpower to the jaclr from a more or less remote point. Any other suitable means of transmitting power may be connected to shaft 29 or extend therefrom, and a cross pin 31 may extend through boss 9 into an annular groove 32 in shaft 29 to hold the shaft in place and its pinion in mesh with gear 17. A handl grip 33 or irregular outline at the outer end ol shaft 29 permits said shaft. and the gears to be turned by hand in the absence of an operating handle, es pecially in adjusting or setting up the jack preliminary to litt-ing the load. In use the jacli may be seated beneath the object to be lifted, ior example, the axle ot a vehicle, and the operating handle or shaft ior the jack may be placed in front o't or at either side of the jay-cli merely by 'rotating the swivel head within the top of the standard, assuming` thumb screw let is unlocked or retired sulliciently to permit hub to rotate. The swivel movement ot the head is freely effected belfore the jael: is engaged with the load, or thereafter when the jack is supporting a load. lin setting 'the parts Yfor operation, as in rotating the swivel head, pinion 2 may have a planetary travel in respect t gear 17, providing said gear and nut 17 are held against rotation. Nut 17 may be rotated in either direction by shaitt J9 to raise or lower litt screw 16, and thumb screw 14 may be clamped tightly against hub 7 to prevent rotation or the swivel head in the standard during this proceeding, it desiree. However, it thumb screw 14 is not loclted the operator may still hold the swivel head against rotation upon standard 2 by arrest ing such movement at the operating handle 3a at any point beyond the pinion shaft. Nut 1'? is adapted to revolve more freely upon its ball bearing than the head which is irii tionally seated upon the top ot'the standard. Preferably this top is smooth, but the engaging surfaces ior the swivel head may be roughened or slightly serrated it rotatable movement of the head is to be checked or prevented.

lid/That I claim, is:

l. A vehicle jack, comprising a hollow standard, a litt screw extending upwardly 'from said standard, a member having a hub rotatably supported within the top of said standard, a nut for said screw rotatably supported upon said member, and gearing supported by said member adapted to rota-te said nut, said gearing and nut and supporting member being jointly rotatable around the axis ot the screw at the top ot said standard to permit operation oi the jack from different sides thereof.

2. A vehicle jack, comprising a standard, a head swiveled upon said standard, a lift erew extending through said head, a nut ior the screw and operating means for the nut jointly carried bysaid head, and a sup plemental lite member secured to said screwY and slidably connected to the standard adapted to prevent rotation ol said screw.

3. fr vehicle jack, comprising a hollow standard having` a flanged rib at one side, a head swiveled to the top of said stai'idard, a litt screw extending through said head into said standard, a rotatable nut Ytor said lift screw supported by said head having operating connections extending laterally oi 'the head, and a stepped lift member depending from said screw having slidable connection with the flanged rib on said standard adapted to prevent rotation ot said screw.

d. vehicle jack, comprising a hollow standard, a yoke member having a shouldered hub extending into the top ot said standard, means adapted to secure said hub against withdrawal from said standard, a lirt screw extending through said yoke member. a rotatable nut for said screw con lined within. said yoke member, and an operating shaft and gearing supported by said yol-:e member adapted to rotate said nut.

5. A vehicle jack, comprising a hollow standard., a rotatable member having a tubu` lar hub extending into the top of said standard, a thumb screiY extending through the side ol said standard adapted to co-art with said hub to prevent removal or rotation of said member, a rotatable nut and means to rotate the same supported by said member. and a lift screw extending through said nut and member into said standard.

1n testimony whereof ai'tix my signature.

JOHN H. BURlfl-IULDER. 

